Magneto ignition system



'Feb. 26, 1946. L. P. KONGSTED MAGNETO IGNITION SYSTEM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 21, 1944 INVENTOR. [air/ 7 P 4 ATTORNEY Feb. 26, 1946. KONGSTED 2,395,629

MAGNETO IGNITION SYSTEM Filed April 21, 1944 2 SheetsSheet 2 H J1 if K I 2& T INVENTOR.

0* 151- 4 M w" g m/ P M Z E gw/bww ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 26, 1946 MAGNETO IGNITION SYSTEM Ludvig P. Kongsted, Longmeadow, Mass., assignor to American Bosch Corporation, Springfield, Mass., a corporation of New York Application April 21, 1944, Serial No. 532,100

17 Claims.

The present invention relates to magneto ignition systems, of high or low tension types and for single or multipoint ignition, and provides a system in which the generator unit has a generating winding andis associated with a circuit breaker, and a distributor if the system is for multipoint ignition, and in which an inductor or transformer unit, either incorporated in or exterior to the generator unit but with its core magnetically disassociated from the core of the generating winding, has an exciting winding electrically connected to the generating winding but not to the circuit breaker, and also has an ignition winding electrically connected to the circuit breaker but not to the generating winding. The invention also relates to the inductor unit in a housing separable from the generator unit, as a new article of manufacture for a spare or replacement unit in such magneto ignition systems.

In my Patent 2,007,373, a magneto ignition system is shown but the inductor unit associated with it has a combined exciting and ignition winding which is the primary of the transformer winding and which is electrically connected to both the generating winding and the circuit breaker. This arrangement gives results similar in some respects to a battery ignition system, particularly as to the thin ignition spark thereof without the follow-up are that constitutes the increased heat energy in the ignition spark of conventional magneto ignition systems. This is due in part to the fact that the transfer of energy from the generating winding to the exciting winding is comparatively inefficient since the generating winding as well as the combined primary and exciting winding form a part of an oscillatory network with part of the energy dissipated in the circuit of each winding and with both windings constituting inductances in parallel oscillating with the usual condenser across the contacts of the circuit breaker. In addition to the proportionally small energy transfer from the generator unit to the inductor unit, intense arcing occurs at the circuit breaker contacts at higher operating speeds, particularly with a generating winding having a good low-speed starting performance in the ignition system. Also in those magneto ignition systems in which the primary of a transformer winding and the low tension generating winding are wound on cores which are magnetically associated and are connected to the circuit breaker, the arcing at those contacts is quite intense, particularly under the conditions noted and notwithstanding the presence of the condenser across the contacts. In fact, in addition to burning away the contacts rapidly and excessively, such arcing may be sufficiently intense as to subtract materially from the ener y available at the spark plug or other. ignition device,

so that while the follow-up arc between the electrodes of the spark plug or other ignition device may be present, it does not have the heat energy value which would exist if the arcing at the circuit breaker contacts were less intense.

In accordance with my present ignition system, th exciting winding of the inductor unit is electrically connected to the generating winding of the generator'um't and is unconnected to the circuit breaker thereof, and preferably this connection is direct (that is, without the interposition of a sliding contact or the like) as a result of directly connected stationary generating and exciting windings. The circuit breaker is electrically connected to the ignition winding, which in the case of a high tension ignition system may be th transformer winding of the inductor unit and which in the case of a low tension ignition system may be the single winding thereof, in both of which cases the ignition impulses are generated'at the periods of ignition of the system.

In these low and high tension systems, the condenser across the circuit breaker contacts is not in the circuit of either the generating winding of the generator unit or the exciting winding of the inductor unit, and the energy of the generating winding is transferred with a higher degree of efficiency to the exciting winding and the core of the inductor unit. Also, by providing sufficiently loose coupling between these two windings, preferably by physically separating them on a substantially closed magnetic core, it is possible to substantially reproduce in that core the flux variations that occur in the core of the generating winding, that is the rapidly reversing flux or th rapidly changing flux as the case may be, while at the same time limiting or controlling the amount of energy in the ignition winding and at the circuit breaker contacts at the higher operating speeds. In this arrangement energy is efficiently transferred from the, generator unit to the inductor unit during the period in which the circuit breaker is open as well as when it is closed, thus resulting in such an are following up each spark between the electrodes of the spark plug or other ignition device as to supply considerable heat energy to those sparks and thereby initiate combustion of gas mixtures that sometimes fail to ignite otherwise. In the case of a high tension ignition system, the effect of this flux variation in the core of the inductor unit and the rapid decay of the current in the primary of the transformer winding upon opening of the circuit breaker, results in th familiar magneto spark of high heat energy by virtue of the close coupling of the primary and secondary of the transformer winding. Furthermore, by this arrangement of exciting and generating windings, the arcing at the contacts of the circuit breaker isreduced, particularly due to the loose coupling or high leakage reactance between the exciting and ignition windings of the inductor unit. In fact, the efficiency of the energy transfer and the degree of arcing at the contacts can be limited and controlled in this system by varying the degree of coupling or the leakage reactance between the'exciting and ignition windings.

Accordingly, the primary object of my invention is to provide a magneto ignition system of this kind in which the efficiency of the transfer of energy from the generator unit to the inductor unit may be comparatively high, and may continue while the contacts of the circuit breaker are open at the period of ignition so as to produce ignition sparks of comparatively high heat ener y with a follow-up arc in each.

Another object is to provide an ignition system of this kind in which the arcing at the contacts of the circuit breaker may be reduced, and also may be limited or controlled by modifying the degree of coupling or leakage reactance between the exciting and ignition windings of the inductor unit.

Another object is to provide magneto ignition systems which incorporate a generator unit with a low tension generating winding only, and therefore of relatively small size and low weight, and with an inductor unit exterior to the generator unit and having windings so connected to each other, and to the generating winding and the circuit breaker, as to produce ignition sparks of high heat energy value without excessive arcing at the contacts of the circuit breaker.

Another object is to provide such ignition systems in which the generator unit is in the form of a magneto incorporating a generating winding, preferably a low tension winding, a circuit breaker, and also a distributor if the system is for multipoint ignition as for instance for the spark plugs of a multi-cylinder engine. 7

Another object is to provide an ignition system of this kind in which low tension ignition impulses are supplied to the work circuit or translating device.

Another object is to provide an ignition system of this kind in which a plurality of inductor units are located near the respective spark plugs of a multicylinder engine as a large stationary engine, to thereby avoid the use of long high tension conductors to the spark plugs.

Still another object is to provide, as a new article of manufacture, an inductor or transformer unit suitable for association with a generator unit as a replacement or spare part in magneto ignition systems of this invention.

Other objects will appear from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings showing, as examples, single and multicylinder magneto ignition systems particularly for internal combustion engines in which the generator unit is preferably in the form of a magneto having a low tension generating winding and incorporating a circuit breaker and sometimes a distributor, and in which the inductor unit has a housing intended for mounting separately from the magneto. In these drawings,

Fig. 1 shows the preferredform of four-cylinder magneto of timer drive typ partly in central vertical section and partly in elevation, with a magnet rotor and with its stationary low tension generating winding in four coils; Fig, 2 is a plan view of the circuit breaker assembly of the magneto; Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 shows in central vertical section the preferred form of a closed core inductor unit having an exciting windin and an ignition winding comprising step-up primary and secondary windings; Fig. 5 is a circuit diagram of a high tension ignition system incorporating the magneto of Figs. 1-3 and the inductor unit of F18. 4; Fit. 6 is a circuit diagram of a four-cylinder high tension ignition system within the invention incorporating separate inductor units near respective spark plugs: and Fig. 7 is a circuit diagram of a low tension ignition system within the invention- Referring to Figs. l-3, the magneto i has a drive shaft 2 journaled in bearings 8 and 4 and adapted to be driven in timed relation by a fourcylinder internal combustion engine (not shown) at the cam shaft speed thereof. Fast on this drive shaft is a magnetic rotor, in this case a four-pole magnet 5 of high coercive force, together with the circuit breaker cam 6 and the distributor rotor 1. Around each laminated pole 8 of the stator magnetic structure 9, which may be cast as an insert in the housing I0, is arranged a low tension coil II, these four coils being connected electrically in series and grounded on the stator structure to form the generating winding l2 of Figs. 5, 6 and 7. The circuit breaker assembly is mounted on the breaker disc l3 and includes a deflectable lever i4 which cooperates at the periods of ignition with cam 6 and carries contact 15 engageable with the normally stationary but adjustable grounded contact i6. Around these contacts is connected by wire I! a grounded condenser IS. The distributor cap I! of insulating material is detachably fastened to the housing l0 and carries the stationary distributor electrodes 20 sequentially cooperative with the electrode 2| of the distributor rotor. This cap also carries the main electrode 22 electrically connected to the rotor electrode 2 I. The high tension conductors 23 lead from the electrodes 20 to respective spark plugs in the engine cylinders. The high tension conductor 24, connected to main electrode 22, and

the low tension conductors 25 and 26, connected respectively to the live terminal 21 of the circuit breaker and to the live terminal of the generating winding, all lead to the inductor unit as will be described hereinafter in connection with Figs. 5, 6 and "I. Magnet 5 produces at each of rotation a reversal of flux through the poles I of the stator magnetic structure 9, incorporating the core of the generating coils Ii, at which periods of ignition the circuit breaker contacts I5, it are opened by the cam 6 and the rotor electrode 2! is opposite one of the stationary electrodes 20. If desired, the magneto may be provided with an impulse coupling and/or an automatic timing governor of suitable kinds, in accordance with well established practice.

Referring to Fig. 4, the inductor unit 28 has a housing 29 of nonmagnetic material enclosing a closed magnetic core 30 of laminated sheet steel of rectangular form, and a'cap ll of insulating material which carries the high tension terminal 32 for conductor 24 and the low tension terminals 33, 34 and 35 for conductors 23 and 25 and for a common grounding wire 36, respectively. Onone leg or the-magnetic core. 30 is wound a low tension exciting winding 31, and on the opposite leg is wound the ignition winding 33 comprising a primary winding 33 tightly embraced by a stepup secondary winding 40. The live terminal of the exciting winding 31 is connected by wire 4| to terminal 33, the live terminal of the primary winding 33 is connected by wire 42 to terminal '34, and the common grounding wire 43 from the exciting winding 31 and ignition winding 33 is connected to terminal 35 which is grounded in any suitable manner. The live terminal of the secondary winding 40 is connected by a spring to terminal 32. The windings may be taped and treated, and the housing may be filled with insulating compound or oil, in the well known manner.

Now referring to the circuit diagram of Fig. 5, the stationary generating winding I2 is grounded at one end and has its live terminal electrically connected directly (that is without the interposition of a sliding contact or the like) by conductor 26 to the grounded stationary exciting winding 31 on the core 30 of the inductor unit 28. On the core is also mounted the ignition winding 33 comprising the primary winding 33 and stepup secondary winding 40 with their inner terminals grounded. The live terminal of the primary winding is connected by conductor 25 to the live contact l of the circuit breaker and also to the grounding switch 44. The live terminal of the secondary winding 40 is connected by conductor 24 to the distributor rotor electrode 22 and thence sequentially to the stationary distributor electrodes 23 and the conductors 23 to the grounded spark plugs 45 in the respective cylinders ofwthe internal combustion engine.

In the circuit diagram of Fig, 6, the grounded generating winding l2 has its live terminal connected by conductor 46 to the distributor rotor brush 41 to distribute through long segments 48 the generated currents to the exciting windings 31 of the plurality of inductor units 23 serially during substantially the entire interval of each generating cycle. The live contact I5 of the circuit breaker is electrically connected by conductor 43 to the distributor rotor 53 which, connects the circuit breaker through the segments 51 at the periods of ignition of the system to the primaries of the grounded ignition windings 38 serially to thereby generate in the secondaries ignition impulses for the spark plugs 52 in the cylinders of the engine. In this case, the plurality of inductor units 28 may be located at or near therespective spark plugs 52, and thus the high tension spark plug conductors 53 may be short to thereby reduce the capacity effect and the radio radiation thereof. This magneto ignition system may be of particular value in the case of large stationary engines and aircraft en.- gines.

In the circuit diagram of Fig. 7, th grounded generating winding i2 has its live terminal electrically connected by conductor 54 directly to the exciting winding 55 of a modified form of inductor unit 56. The live terminal of the grounded low tension ignition winding 51 of the inductor unit is connected by conductors 53 and 53 to the circuit breaker contact l5 and grounding switch 44. Beyond its connection to conductor 53, the ignition winding 51 may be electrically connected by conductor 63 to the rotor of a distributor for distribution of the low tension ignition impulses to a plurality of electromagnetic spark plugs or to an ignition system of the capacity discharge type, or to other types of zvork circuits or translating devices of low tension yp S.

In the ignition systems hereof, good results have been obtained with a total of 200 turns of No. 19 wire in the generating winding l2, or turns in each oi the four coils II, and 200 turns of No. 19 wire in the exciting winding 31 of the inductor unit 23, the primary winding 33 of the inductor unit 23, and the low tension windings and 51 of Fig. 7, likewise having 200 turns of No. 19 wire, and the secondary winding 43 having about 10,000 turns of No. 40 wire. By arranging the exciting winding 33 or 55 on a leg or the closed rectangular core 32 oi the inductor unit 23 or 53 opposite the leg on which the ignition winding is arranged, a loose coupling is obtained between the exciting and ignition windings due to the leakage reactance between the physically separated windings. The value of this coupling is less than 90% under normal operation of the ignition system in the operative speed range of the engine. On the other hand, the primary and secondary windings 33 and 43 of the ignition winding being closely superposed have substantially unity coupling. Also, it will be observed in all systems hereof that the magnetic core of the inductor unit is disassociated magnetically from the stator magnetic structure of the generator unit incorporating the core of the generator winding l2, by reason of the fact that both cores are closed, or substantially so, and are physically separated from each other.

Since the exciting winding 31 in Fig. 5 or 6, or 55 in Fig. 7, is electrically connected to the generating winding I2 of the generator unit, and is unconnected to the circuit breaker contacts 15, 15 with their shunting condenser l3, the current generated in winding l2 flows through winding 31 or 55 whether the contacts are open or closed. Thus, flux variations in the magnetic core oi winding l2, or flux reversals in the case of magneto l, are substantially reproduced in the magnetic core 33 of winding 31 or the magnetic core of winding 55. This transfer of electromagnetic energy from the generator unit I to the inductor unit 28 or 5B is at higher eilic'iency than would be the case if these windings were electrically connected to the circuit breaker with its shunting condenser, because there being no oscillatory network of circuits including a condenser in common, there is less energy dissipation in the windings. Also, since the ignition winding 33 or 51 is electrically connected to the contacts [5, l3, and is unconnected to the generating winding 12 or .to the excitingwinding 31 or 55, the-current flowing in the ignition winding is interrupted by the circuit breaker at each period of ignition at the time of the flux reversal in both the stator magnetic structure of the generator unit and in the core of the inductor unit. This results in the generation of ignition voltages in the ignition winding 33 or 51. Furthermore, the continued rotation of magnet 5 of the generator unit I during each period of ignition,,when the contacts l5, iii are open, results in continued generation of voltage in the ignition winding, and thereby produces a follow-up are between the electrodes of the spark plug or other translating device at each period of ignition of the system. It is this are which produces the increased heat energy in the magneto ignition spark and results in firing of combustible mixture which would not otherwise ignite properly, or only partially so, when or low octanerating or stratiiied due to poor mixture as for instance in larg oil pumping engines.

As a result of this efliciency of energy transfer between the generating and exciting windings, and also as a result of the continued transfer of energy to the exciting winding while the contacts are open, the low speed limit of the magneto, that is the lowest speed at which it normally produces ignition in the engine cylinder or between the electrodes of a standard test gap, is substantially the same as with a emventional magne o, and lower than in the ignition system of my Patent 2,007,373. Furthermore, with an electrical connection between these windings that is direct, that is without the interposition of a sliding contact or the like, there is less probability of loss of connection or abnormal voltage drop between them with the consequent decrease in the efliciency of the energy transfer.

Furthermore, the arcing at the circuit breaker contacts i5, i6 is little or substantially non-existent throughout the operating speed of the ignition systems of Figs. 5, 6 and 7, and, as a practical matter, no greater under like conditions than in conventional magnetos. In fact, the intensity of this arcing may be limited and controlled by the degree of coupling between the exciting and ignition windings of the inductor unit. In my Patent 2,007,373, and also in low and high tension magnetos having a plurality of interconnected primary windings, this arcing, at least at higher speeds of operation, is usually intense because the exciting and ignition windings are combined into one winding or are interconnected, or are wound on magnetically associated cores. In the systems hereof, on the other hand, there is loose coupling between the exciting and ignition windings, and therefore high leakage reactance between them, due :to the fact that the two windings in each case are physically separated from each other on substantially closed magnetic cores. Thus as the current flowing in the generating winding tends to increase with the speed of the engine, the leakage reactance increases and keeps down to a substantially constant or only slightly increasing value the current in the ignition winding and therefore at the circuit breaker contacts in the circuit thereof. This prevents arcing at those contacts at higher engine speeds, and in fact the arcing may be limited or controlled as desired by modifying in design the degree of coupling between the exciting and ignition windings as by modifying the physical separation of the windings on the core 32, or the cross section or the reluctance of that core, or by introducing gaps in the core ,or otherwise. As stated hereinbefore, a coupling valu of less than 90 per cent at normal load on the ignition system and within the operating speed range of the engine has been found satisfactory and has resulted in little or no arcing at the circuit breaker contacts. On the other hand, the coupling between the primary and secondary of the ignition winding is made substantially unity in order to increase the efiiciency of transformation between them. It will be understood that by reducing this arcing at the circuit breaker contacts, the energy loss there is reduced and the life and performance of the circuit breaker as well as of the generator unit and of the ignition system are improved and extended.

The circuit breaker and distributor of Fig. 5, and the circuit breaker and distributor of Fig. 6,

and the circuit breaker of Fig. '7 may be incorporated in the generator unit to form a magneto as indicated in Figs. 1-3, or they may be arranged in separate units separately driven to properly accord with the ignition periods required. Also. the generator units of the ignition systems of Figs. 5, 6 or 7, having the low tension generating winding I! only, may be of smaller dimensions and weight than in generator units having a high tension winding also, and therefore may be more appropriately mounted on an engine timer shait designed for a battery ignition timer-distributor, or in a space that is restricted. Also the inductor unit 28 or 56 may be incorporated in or attached to the exterior of the generator unit to thereby avoid exterior conductors between them, provided that the magnetic cores of the two units are magnetically disassociated, or they may be separately housed and mounted units, as indicated in Figs. 1-3, to reduce the size and weight of the generator unit. Furthermore, the ignition system of Fig. 5 may be changed from a multicylinder to-a single cylinder high tension system by omitting the distributor and connecting the conductor 24 directly to th single spark plug of the single cylinder engine. Also, the single cylinder system of Fig. 7 may be changed to a multicylinder system by connecting the conductor 80 to the rotor of a distributor of proper kind and speed.

It will be apparent th. t many other modifications may be made in the specific disclosures hereof without departing from the invention. For instance, the magneto ignition system may be used for oil burner ignition systems, for the power supply to ignition systems of the capacitor discharge types, and for other purposes. Also, the ignition systems may be adapted for internal combustion engines operating on any other suitable cycle, and the generator unit or magneto may be driven by any source and at any proportionate speed provided that the periods of ignition are properly timed to the engine or other translating device or work circuit to which the system is applied. Also the generator unit or magneto may be of any suitable type, whether rotating, oscillating or otherwise, with a stationary or rotatable generating winding and with a movable or stationary magnet or electromagnet as the source of magnetic flux. Also, the inductor unit may have any suitable magnetic core, whether substantially closed in any form with or without gaps therein, and the windings thereon may have other suitable arrangements and other suitable number of turns and sizes. Also the circuit breaker may be operated electromagnetically or otherwise instead of mechanically as shown, and the high tension distributor may be of the brush or other type instead of jumpspark as shown. These and other modifications are intended to be included within the broad scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a magneto ignition system having a circuit breaker operative at the periods of ignition of the system; a generator unit which has a magnetic rotor and a magnetic stator cooperative therewith, and which has a generating winding mounted on a magnetic core associated with the magnetic rotor and stator; and an inductor unit which has a magnetic core disassociated magnetically from the core of the generating winding, and which has on its core an exciting winding electrically connected to the generating winding and unconnectedto the circuit breaker to substantially reproduce in that core the flux variations in the core or the generating winding during the open and closed periods of the circuit breaker and also has on its core an ignition winding electrically connected to the circuit breaker and unconnected to the enerating and exciting windings to generate in the ignition winding ignition impulses at the periods of ignition of the system.

2. In a magneto ignition system having a circuit breaker operative at the periods of ignition of the system; a generator unit which has a magnetic rotor and a magnetic stator cooperative therewith, and which has a stationary generating winding mounted on a magnetic core associated with the magnetic rotor and stator; and a stationary inductor unit which has a magnetic core disassociated magnetically from the core of the generating winding, and which has on its core an exciting winding electrically connected directly to the generating winding and unconnected to the circuit breaker to substantially reproduce in that core the flux variations in the core of the generating winding during the open and closed periods of the circuit breaker and also has on its core an ignition winding electrically connected directly to the circuit breaker and unconnected to the generating and exciting windings'to generate in the ignition winding ignition impulses at the periods of ignition ot the system.

3. In a magneto ignition system having a circuit breaker operative at the periods of ignition of the system; a generator unit which has a magnetic rotor and a magnetic stator cooperative therewith, and which has a generating winding mounted on a magnetic core associated with the magnetic rotor and stator; and an inductor unit which is separate from the generator unit for mounting exteriorly thereof, and which has on its core an exciting winding electrically connected to the generating winding and unconnected to the circuit breaker to substantially reproduce in that core the flux variations in the core of the generating winding during the open and closed periods of the circuit breaker and also has on its core an ignition winding electrically connected to the circuit breaker and unconnected to the generating and exciting windings to generate in the ignition winding ignition impulses at the periods of ignition of the system.

4. In a magneto ignition system having a circuit breaker operative at the periods of ignition of the system; a generator unit which has a magnetic rotor and a magnetic stator cooperative therewith, and which has a generating winding mounted on a magnetic core associated with the magnetic rotor and stator; and an inductor unit which has a magnetic core disassociated magnetically from the core of the generating winding, and which has on its core an exciting winding electrically connected to the generating winding and unconnected to the circuit breaker to substantially reproduce in that core the flux varia- 5. In a high tens ion magneto ignition system having a circuit breaker operative at the periods of ignition of the system; a generator unit which has a magnetic rotor and a magnetic stator cooperative therewith, and which has a generating winding mounted on a magnetic core associated with the magnetic rotor and stator; and an inductor unit which has a magnetic coredisassociated magnetically from the core of the generating winding, and which has on its corean exciting winding electrically connected to the generating winding and unconnected to the circuit breaker to substantially reproduce in that core the flux variations in the core of the generating winding during the open and closed periods of the circuit breaker and also has on its core step-up primary and secondary windings of which the primary winding is electrically connected to the circuit breaker and unconnected to the generating and exciting windings to generate in the secondary winding high tension ignition impulses at the periods of ignition of the system, said exciting and primary windings being loosely coupled to each otherand said primary and secondary windings being tightly coupled to each other.

6. In a multipoint magneto ignition system having a circuit breaker operative at the periods of ignition of the system and also having a distributor; a generator unit which has a magnetic rotor and a magnetic stator cooperative therewith, and which has a generating winding mounted on a core associated with the magnetic rotor and stator; and an inductor unit which has a magnetic core disassociated magnetically from the core of the generating winding, and which has on its core an exciting winding electrically connected to the generating winding and unconnected to the circuit breaker to substantially reproduce in that core the flux variations in the core of the generating winding during the open and closed periods of the circuit breaker and also has on its core an ignition winding that is electrically connected to the circuit breaker and unconnected to the generating and exciting windings and that is electrically connected to the distributor for distribution of the ignition impulses generated in the ignition winding at the periods of ignition of the system.

'7. In a multipoint high tension magneto ignistantially reproduce in that core the flux variationsdn the core of the generating winding during the open and closed periods of the circuit breaker and also has on its core step-up primary and secondary windings of which the primary winding is electrically connected to the circuit breaker and unconnected to the generating and exciting windings to generate in the secondary winding high tension ignition impulses at the periods of ignition of the system and of which the secondary winding is electrically connected to the distributor,

8. In a multipoint high tension magneto ignition system; a magneto which has a generating winding mounted on a core, and which has a circuit breaker and a distributor operative at the periods of ignition oi the system; and a separable inductor unit which has a magnetic core disassociated magnetically from the core of the generating winding, and which has on its core an exciting winding electrically connected to the generating winding and unconnected to the circuit breaker to substantially reproduce in its core the flux variations in the core of the generating winding during the open and closed periods of the circuit breaker and also has on its core step-up primary and secondarywindings of which the primary winding is electrically connected to the circuit breaker and unconnected to the generating and exciting windings to generate in the secondary winding high tension ignition impulses at the periods of ignition of the system and of which the secondary winding is electrically connected to the distributor.

9. In a multipoint magneto ignition system having a circuit breaker operative at the periods of ignition of the system and also havin a distributor comprising two distributor rotors and two distributor stators cooperativ therewith respectively; a generator unit which has a magnetic rotor and a magnetic stator cooperative therewith, and which has a generating winding mounted on a magnetic core associated with the magnetic rotor and stator; the generating winding being electrically connected to one distributor rotor and the circuit breaker being connected to the other distributor rotor; and a plurality of inductor units which have magnetic cores disassociated magnetically from each other and from the core of the generating winding, and each of which has on its core an exciting winding electrically connected to the distributor stator that is cooperative with the distributor rotor connected to the generating winding to substantially reproduce serially in the cores of the inductor units the flux variations in the core of the generating winding during the open and closed periods of the circuit breaker and each of which also has on its core an ignition winding electrically connected to the distributor stator that is cooperative with the distributor rotor connected to the circuit breaker to generate in that core an ignition impulse at a period of ignition of the system.

10. In a multipoint high tension magneto ignition system which has a plurality of spark plugs and a circuit breaker operative at the periods of ignition of the system, and also which has a distributor comprising two distributor rotors and two distributor stators cooperative therewith respectively; a generator unit which has a magnetic rotor and a magnetic stator cooperative therewith, and which has a generating winding mounted on a magnetic core associated with the magnetic rotor and stator; the generating winding being electrically connected to one distributor rotor and the circuit breaker being electrically connected to the other distributor rotor; and a plurality of inductor units located near respective spark plugs each unit of which has a magnetic core disassociated magnetically from the other cores and from the core of the generating winding, and each of which also has on its core an exciting winding electrically connected to the distributor stator that is cooperative with the distributor rotor connected to the generating winding to substantially reproduce serially in the cores of the inductor units the ilux variations in the core of the generating winding during the open and closed periods of the circuit breaker, and each of which also has on its core a transformer Winding comprising a primary winding electrically connected to the distributor stator that is cooperative with the distributor rotor connected to the circuit breaker and also comprising a secondary winding electrically connected to a spark Plug.

11. In a low tension magneto ignition system having a circuit breaker operative at the periods of ignition of the system; a generator unit which has a magnetic rotor and a magnetic stator cooperative therewith, and which has a low tension generating winding mounted on a magnetic core associated with the magnetic rotor and stator; and an inductor unit which has a magnetic core disassociated magnetically from the core or the generating winding, and which has on its core an exciting winding electrically connected to the generating winding and unconnected to the circuit breaker to substantially reproduce in that core the flux variations in the core of the generating winding during the open and closed periods of the circuit breaker and also has on its core a low tension ignition winding electrically connected to the circuit breaker and unconnected to the generating and exciting windings to generate in the ignition winding ignition impulses at the periods of ignition of the system.

12. In a low tension magneto ignition system having a circuit breaker operative at the periods of ignition of the system; a generator unit which has a magnetic rotor and a magnetic stator cooperative therewith, and which has a low tension generating winding mounted on a magnetic core associated with the magnetic rotor and stator; and an inductor unit which has a, magnetic core disassociated magnetically from the core of the generating winding, and which has on its core an exciting winding electrically connected to the generating winding and unconnected to the circuit breaker to substantially reproduce in that core the flux variations in the core of the generating winding during the open and closed periods o! the circuit breaker, said inductor unit also having on its core an ignition winding which is electrically connected to the circuit breaker and unconnected to the generating and exciting windings to generate in the ignition winding low tension ignition impulses at the periods of ignition of the system and also having a connection adapted to be electrically connected to a work circuit or translating device to supply the low tension ignition impulses thereto.

13. As a new article of manufacture for high tension magneto ignition systems, an inductor unit having a housing, a magnetic core, an exciting winding mounted on the core, and step-up primary and secondary windings mounted on the core, said exciting winding and said primary winding being entirely independent of each other.

14. As a new article of manufacture formagneto ignition systems, an inductor unit having a housing, a magnetic core, an exciting winding mounted on the core, and an ignition winding including a primary winding mounted on the core, the exciting winding being loosely coupled to the ignition winding, and said exciting winding and said primary winding being independent of each other.

15. As a new article of manufacture for high tension magneto ignition systems, an inductor unit having a housing, a magnetic core, an exciting winding mountcd on the core, and step-up primary and secondary windings mounted on the core, the exciting winding being loosely coupled to the primary winding and the primary winding being tightly coupled to the secondary winding, said exciting winding'and said primary winding being entirely independent oi. each other.

16. As a new article of manufacture for high tension magneto ignition systems, an inductor unit having a housing, a magnetic core, an exciting winding mounted on the core, and step-up primary and secondary windings mounted on the core at a place physically separated from the place at which the exciting winding is mounted, said exciting winding and said primary winding being entirely independent of each other.

LUDVIG P. KONGSTED. 

